Britain to support Brazil's UN permanent security membership

Britain is to support Brazil's campaign to be named a permanent member of
reformed UN security council as part of a Foreign Office drive to transform
trade and diplomatic ties with Latin America.

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, set out an ambitious plan to restore British involvement in Latin America to pre-First World War levels when London was the biggest investor in the continentPhoto: AFP/GETTY

William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, told Canning House, the Latin American debating society, that Coalition ministers would engage in a co-ordinated offensive to improve relations with the "emerging powers" of Latin America.

The Foreign Secretary set out an ambitious plan to restore British involvement in Latin America to pre-First World War levels when London was the biggest investor in the continent. "It is entirely fitting that a region that provided nearly half of the founding members of the United Nations is represented fully in international institutions," he said. "We have worked closely with Mexico and Brazil on the Council this year, and look forward to doing the same with Colombia when it takes up its seat next year."

While Britain once provided 25 per cent of Latin America's imports the figure is now just 1 per cent. Ireland buys three times the value of British goods that Latin America consumes in a clear indication that there is scope for improvement in trade with a continent that accounts Brazil's growing prosperity has bolstered its claims on a global diplomatic role but the country's sponsors have been dismayed by its increasingly independent foreign policy has frustrated Western efforts to isolate iran over its nuclear programme.

"We will halt the decline in Britain's diplomatic presence in Latin America. Britain's retreat from the region is over, and it is now time for an advance to begin."

However Mr Hague warned that there would be no changes in the British position on the Falklands Islands. Britain suffered a diplomatic setback earlier this year when the Organisation of American States unaminously supported Argentina's sovereignty demands.